Land leveler



Jan. 6, l953 J. H. SMEED 2,624,133

LAND LEVELER Filed OG. l5, 1947 5 Sh'ee'zS-Sheetl l Fig. l.

Inventor Jack H. Smead Jan. 6, 1953 J, H, SMEED 2,624,133

LAND LEVELER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13. 1947 Inventor Jack H. SmeadJ. H. SMEED Jah. 6, 1953 LAND LEVELER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Ooi. l5,1947 In ventor Jac/r H. Smead Attorneys grading Vblade of the Figure 3is Patented Jan. 6, 1953 gUNITED STATES cargar orgies vLAND LEVELER JackH. Smead, Caldwell, Idaho Application october 13, 1947, serial No.779,480

(C1. :ir-150) 3 Claims.

This vinvention comprises novel and useful improvements in a landleveler and more specically pertains to a device having improved meansfor grading and leveling a surface.

The principal object of this invention resides in the provision of anapparatus which may be readily adjusted to give the desired levelingoperation, and wherein is provided improved power operatedmeans foradjustably grading a surface, said leveling and grading operationsbeing, if desired, performed concurrently.

, An important feature of the invention resides in a simplified andnovel means for operating a device; and in adjusting the same byhydraulic operating means.

, A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of amanual adjusting means for raisingor lowering the frame of the deviceupon its supporting wheel-s, to thereby vary the angle at which theleveling and yvaries the pressure and weight applied thereto.

A still further feature of the invention resides in a novel and improvedmeans for adjusting the initial pressure applied to the leveling blade.

These, together with various ancillary objects of the `invention whichwill later become apparent as the following description proceeds, areat- V tained by this'device, a preferred embodiment of which has beenillustrated by way of example i only in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

YFigure 1 is a top plan View of the device;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, showing the-supporting Wheels intheir fully retracted position;

a front elevational view of the apparatus in the position shown inFigure 2;

vFigure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through theapparatus, parts being broken away and illustrating certain features ofthe operating mechanism thereof;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailed view upon an enlarged scale takensubstantially upon the transverse vertical plane of the section line 5-5of Figure 1 Figure Gis a similar view to that of Figure 5 takensubstantially upon the plane of the section line S-Bof Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detailed view taken in vertical sectionsubstantially upon the plane of the section line 1-1 of Figure 4; and,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the leveling blade of thedevice.

Referring now-more specifically to the kaccom-epanying drawings, whereinlike` numerals desigblade engages the surface nate similar partsthroughout the various viewsy it will be seen that the frame of thedevice includes a pair of side members IS which are preferably ofchannel-shape construction, to which are secured transversely extendingreinforcing members l?. and inclined rear end member Ill, and a V-shapedfront member I6, to provide a generally rectangular frame construction.The front member l', as shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 6, includesupper and lower angle members I8 and 20, which are secured as byfastening means 22 and provide rearwardly diverging upper and lowersurfaces. The lower surfaces assist in preventing the frame striking andbeing stopped by irregularities in the surface being treated.

Mounted upon the forward end of the frame, that is upon the apex of theV-shaped front member I6, is a supporting standard 24 provided with apair of laterally extending vertically spaced lugs or rods 26 for apurpose to be later set forth. A draw bar 28 is positioned along thelongitudinal axis of the framework, being pivoted as at 30 atA its rearend to suitable lugs or brackets carried by the laterally extendingframe member 32 secured upon the upper surface of the frame members l.The front end of the draw bar extends through the vertical slot 33 ofthe support 2t. and beneath the stop lugs or bolts 26. At its extremefront end, the draw bar is provided with a ring 34 or other fastener bymeans of which the device may -be secured toa towing or tractivevehicle. The stop means 26 comprise an arrangement for limiting theupward pivotal movement of the draw bar relative to the frame lo, sinceeither one or both of the bolts 26 may be removed to selectively limitthe upward travel of the draw bar. If both bolts are removed, the drawbar will then be free to strike the lower surface of a transverse member36, which member supports a vertically extending rod or frame member 38.Extending rearwardly from the latter as at All is a bracket from whichdepends a rigidly attached downwardly extending screw threaded bolt 42.As shown best in Figures 4 and '7, an adjusting nut 44 and compressionspring 4t together with a washer 4l are provided on the bolt 42 and acupshaped seat or socket member is provided to receive the spring it andhas a downwardly extending abutment plug S for bearing upon the uppersurface of the draw bar. The arrangement is such that upward movement ofthe draw bar is resisted by the pressure applied by the spring 46,which-may be adjusted by the nut 44 to provide any desired resistance ortension to the bar. This provides a cushioning means whereby theframework is partially supported upon the draw bar, which will yieldupon a predetermined shock, and an arrangement whereby the draw bar willbe positively stopped by one of the stopping means 2B or 36.

As shown best in Figure 5, the lower surface of the channel framemembers lil have detachably secured thereto, as by a fastening bolt 52and nut 511, a plate or shoe 5t which is intended to rest upon andconstitute a slide engaging the surface over which the device travels.

`suitably journaled in supporting brackets carried by the frame membersle, is a supporting axle 58 which, upon its outer extremities beyond theframe members Hl, is provided with crank arms 60. The crank arms carrystub axles 52 upon which are rotatably mounted supporting wheels 64. Apair of operating arms it (see Figure 1) are rigidly attached to theaxle 58 intermediate the ends thereof, which at their outer extremitiesare provided with a transversely extending crank pin |38. The pin t3 hasa diametrical internally threaded bore receiving a screw threaded rodlil which extends through a supporting bracket 'l2 mounted upon thetransversely disposed member 32. rihe rod it is connected as byuniversal joint couplings 'it to a manually operated crank l journaledin thea-beve mentioned member 3S. As will thus be readily seen, rotationof the crank 'i5 results in longitudinal adjustment of the crank pin 5Supon the screw i0, and thereby causes rotation of the crank arm |56 androtation of axle 53, causing the crank member 63 to raise or lower thewheels 5d, and thereby regulate the position of the channel members land shoes 55 relative to the surface being treated.

Thus, the wheels may be completely retracted i as shown in Figure Ll,whereby the device is supported upon the shoes E and slides over thesurface of the ground. When by manual operation of crank l the wheelsare lowered, the front end of the frame is elevated from the ground, theaction of the spring llt on draw bar 2S assists in lifting the frontend, while the real1 end remains dragging upon the ground. Secured atthe rear end, as shown in Figures l, 4 and 8, is a transversely disposedleveling blade lil having an upwardly and angularly disposed Flange SS?provided with suitable apertures t2 whereby through the instrumentalityof bolts 04 or other suitable fastening means, the blade may be securedto the rear frame member ld, in a p-osition wherein the blade "i8 isco-planar with the surface of the shoes Thus, as the frame members lilare inclined relative to the ground by the above mentioned operation ofthe wheel adjustments, the trailing edge of the blade member 'i3 iscaused to scrape the ground with increasing force, to increase itsleveling and scraping action thereon.

In order to further adapt the device to scraping and grading surfaces,the frame members l have pivotally mounted, as at te, upon the outersurfaces thereof, generally triangular^ shaped blade supporting armswhich are secured to the extremities of a scraping blade @al extendinggenerally transversely of the frame members 0 and therebetween.

Suitably journaled upon the frame members I0, is a transverse shaft 92and intermediate this shaft are provided a rigidly attached pair ofoperating levers 54 to which is .pivoted, as at 96, a piston rod 98 of ahydraulic operating cylinder gn vu.

|00. At the extremities of the shaft 92 are provided a pair of crankarms |02 to which are adjustably connected as by a series oflongitudinally spaced apertures |04, connecting links |06 which alsoengage and are pivoted to a lever I 08 having a stationary fulcrum l0and a pivotal connection I2 with the above mentioned members 88.Connected to the opposite ends of the hydraulic cylinder |00, are a pairof hydraulic or other pressure uid lines H4, controlled by valves I6,operated from any suitable source such as the hydraulic pressure line ina tractor or the like, whereby the bell crank arrangement of levers 94and |02 may be rocked about the axis S2, thereby raising 0r lowering themembers 88 and the scraper blade 90.

The series of apertures in the members |02, |06 and |08, see Figure 4,afford convenient facilities for adjusting the amplitude and rate ofmovement of each end of the scraper blade 90.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that power operated means areprovided for adjusting the cut or penetration of the scraper blade, andthat manual means are provided for varying the operation of the levelingblade.

The construction of the device is particularly adapted to facilitatepartial dismantlement thereof to facilitate shipment.

Since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in theart, after a consideration of the foregoing specification andaccompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to theexact construction shown and described, but all suitable modications andequivalents maybe resorted to falling Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention, Whatis claimed as new is:

1. A grading machine comprising an elongated generally rectangularframe, a crank axle journaled transversely of and intermediate theforward and rear ends of the frame, supporting wheels mounted on thecrank axle, means for rocking the crank axle to selectively raise andlower the wheels relative to the frame, a transversely extendingleveling blade mounted on the rear end of the frame, a cutting bladeoscillatably mounted on the frame for vertical movement relativethereto, means for selectively raising and lowering the cutting blade, alongitudinally eX- tending tow bar pivoted at its rear end to the framefor vertical swinging movement, means for adjustably and yieldinglyurging downward movement of the tow bar relative to the frame, saidmeans including an externally threaded b olt, a socket member inalignment with the bolt, a coiled compression spring disposed about thebolt and having one end seated in the socket member, and a nutadjustably threadedon the bolt engaging the other end of the spring, astandard on the frame adjacent the forward end thereof, a Abracket onthe standard overlying the tow bar, said last mentioned means extendingbetween the bracket and the tow bar.

2. A grading machine comprising an elongated generally rectangularframe, a crank axle journaled transversely of and intermediate theforward and rear ends of theframe, supporting wheels mounted on thecrank axle, means for rocking the crank axle to selectively raise andlower the wheels relative to the frame, a transversely extendingleveling blade mounted on'the rear end of the frame, a cutting bladeoscillatably mounted on the frame'for vertical movement relativethereto, means for selectively V,raisingand lowering the cutting blade,a longitudinally extending tow bar pivoted at its rear end to the framefor vertical swinging movement, means for adjustably and yieldinglyurging downward movement of the tow bar relative to the frame, saidmeans including an externally threaded bolt, a socket member inalignment with the bolt, a coiled compression spring disposed about thebolt and having one end seated in the socket member, and a nutadjustably threaded on the bolt engaging the other end of the spring, astandard on the frame adjacent the forward end thereof, a bracket on thestandard overlying the tow bar, said last mentioned means extendingbetween the bracket and the tow bar, said standard having a slottherethrough which slidingly receives the tow bar therethrough, andremovable means carried by the standard and extending across the slot tolimit movement of the tow bar therein.

3. A grading machine comprising an elongated generallyA rectangularframe, a crank laxle journaled transversely of and intermediate theforward and rear ends of the frame, supporting wheels mounted on thecrank axle, means for rocking the crank axle lower the wheels relativeto the frame, a transversely extending leveling blade mountedon the rearend of the frame, a cutting blade oscillatably mounted on the frame forvertical movement relative thereto, means for selectively raising andlowering the cutting blade, a longitudinally extending tow bar pivotedat its rear end to the frame for Vertical swinging movement, means foradjustably and yieldingly urging downward movement of the tow barrelative to the frame,

to selectively raise and said means including an externally threadedbolt, a socket member in alignment with the bolt, a coiled compressionspring disposed about the bolt and having one end seated in the socketmember, and a nut adjustably threaded on the bolt engaging the other endof the spring, a standard on the frame adjacent the forward end thereof,a bracket on the standard overlying the tow bar, said last mentionedmeans extending between the bracket and the tow bar, said bolt beingflxedly secured to the bracket, and in abutment depending from thesocket member and bearing against the top of the tow bar.

JACK H. SMEED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

